Zelda 'can be played by five-year-olds'

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is so accessible that a five-year-old can play it, claims Nintendo.

It’s part of the format holder’s bid to ensure the Wii exclusive is the first Zelda game “for everyone” when it hits UK shelves this Friday, November 18th.

Nintendo has already succeeded in bringing its Wii console to a mass-market audience, including gamers and non-gamers of all ages, and hopes that the new Zelda will now do the same.

Speaking at an Iwata Asks session, the game’s director Hidemaro Fujibayashi said: “We paid constant attention this time to making the game playable even for five-year-olds or nine-year-olds.

“We tried to make something that would not have a setting enjoyable only by fans or something only the creators would be happy with. And more than anything, this time you can have sword fights with Wii MotionPlus.”

Zelda’s producer Eiji Aonuma added: “That's right. Everyone is starting from zero. It's the first Legend of Zelda game for everyone.”

Nintendo’s global president Satoru Iwata said: “In a sense, everyone is a beginner when it comes to [the Wii MotionPlus sword fighting]. We’d like to boldly ask, ‘Why not give it a try?’ especially to those who say, ‘I've never played The Legend of Zelda,’ and ‘I tried it once, but I didn't really take to it.’”

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